How Do Massachusetts Drivers Rank When Compared to Others Across the Country?

So how bad – or how good – are Massachusetts drivers, really? That all depends on whom you ask. Some sources claim that Massachusetts has some of the best drivers in the country, but other studies lead to a very different conclusion.

While we cannot say with 100% accuracy which side has the better argument, we can say one thing for sure: there are a significant number of car accidents in and around the Cape Cod area. We know this because we have been representing the victims of crashes caused by negligent drivers for many years. Regardless of what the numbers say, we understand that a Cape Cod car accident can wreak great physical injuries and financial hardships on innocent parties, and we are here to help those who have been hurt seek fair compensation.

The Country’s Best Drivers? Seriously?

A Massachusetts media outlet recently cited a study by a financial tech firm for the proposition that Massachusetts has the best drivers in the nation. (Last year, the firm ranked Massachusetts drivers as the country’s third-best.) In arriving at its conclusion, the firm looked at four primary factors: fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles driven, arrests for driving under the influence per 1,000 drivers, the percentage of drivers who do not have insurance, and “Google trends” on the search terms speeding ticket and traffic ticket.

According to the study, Massachusetts had the highest percentage of insured drivers nationwide – 96.1% – as well as favorable numbers for the other variables. The state with the fewest DUI arrests per 1,000 drivers was Illinois, followed by Delaware and Louisiana. Massachusetts came in fourth. Massachusetts had the lowest number of fatalities per 100 million miles (0.52). While it is good news that most Massachusetts drivers are insured and that DUIs and fatal accidents are lower than in other states, this does not necessarily mean that one is safer on the roadways of the Bay State than elsewhere.

Or the Worst?

For example, a different study reported just last year placed the drivers of several Massachusetts cities near the bottom of their safe-driving list. That “Best Drivers Report” considered the average number of years between claims, the annual hard-braking events per 1,000 miles, and the relative likelihood of a claim as compared to the national average. The Massachusetts cities near the bottom of the list averaged 5.3, 4.3, and 3.6 years between claims; the “safest” city averaged 14.9 years between claims. The drivers in two of the Massachusetts cities were also significantly more likely than average to file a claim compared to the national average (133.8% and 179.6%).

Statistics Don’t Lie

According to data maintained by the Massachusetts Executive of Public Safety and Security, there are approximately 125,000 total crashes per year in Massachusetts. Over 4,000 serious injuries occur in these accidents, and about 400 people per year die in fatal crashes on Massachusetts roads. Interestingly, males are more than twice as likely as females to be killed in a crash. Most fatal accident victims are drivers, but about one in six are passengers. Pedestrians account for about one in four traffic fatalities in Massachusetts.

Have You Been Hurt in a Massachusetts Car Accident?

If you have been hurt or lost a loved one, your case is very personal to you, regardless of what studies or statistics say. At the Law Offices of John C. Manoog, III, we represent many Cape Cod motor vehicle accident victims, and we will be glad to talk to you about seeking monetary compensation for what you have been through. Call us at 888-262-6664 for an appointment.